1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a method for governing the operation of a generalist agent within a multi-agent complex adaptive system. More particularly, this invention pertains to a method for governing the operation of a generalist agent such that the generalist agent maintains the stability of the multi-agent complex adaptive system.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 7,058,968, issued to Rowland et al., teaches a system for providing system security and resource management. The system includes “autonomous software programs that can patrol a communications network independent of the clients they are monitoring”. Additionally, the autonomous software programs “are capable of performing any type of system operation permitted on the client”. Ultimately, the autonomous software programs “administer and control all aspects of the networking environment and . . . lead to a self-healing network architecture that can sustain itself with minimal human interaction”. However, this system is limited in that the autonomous software programs are centrally managed and deployed, and the autonomous software programs report back to a central authority. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,616, issued to Borchers et al., teaches a multi-agent system having a plurality of autonomous diagnostic agents that report to a central process control system. Having autonomous agents that must report to a central authority limits a system because all discoveries, decisions, and actions by the autonomous agents must be actuated by the central authority such that the central authority can become overwhelmed to the extent that the system becomes unstable and potentially fails. This is especially a concern for complex systems managing large quantities of information.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,882,988, issued to Subbu et al., teaches an architecture having a plurality of coevolutionary agents for performing local operations at their respective nodes and generating solutions based on information gathered during the operations. However, this architecture is limited in that the coevolutionary agents are stationary, that is, they remain at their respective nodes. Consequently, to share the gathered information, the architecture must include additional mobile agents for carrying the information gathered by a coevolutionary agent to another coevolutionary agent at another node.
Consequently, a method for governing the operation of an agent within a multi-agent complex adaptive system that permits the agent to perform local operations, move about the system, and operate without being required to communicate with a central authority is desired.